Ezzaz Aziz and his offensive necklace
Posted on 06/19/2010 2:59:57 PM PDT by NYer
"The Netherlands is a democratic country. I think it's nonsense that you can express one religion but not another. I feel a fire burning inside me because I don't live in a democratic country, but in a third world country." That's what it has come to.
"Conductor banned from wearing crucifix necklace," by Thijs Papôt for Radio Netherlands, June 16 (thanks to C. Cantoni):
An Amsterdam appeal court has ruled that the Amsterdam public transport service is within its rights to ban its conductors from visibly wearing a necklace bearing a crucifix.
The verdict backs an earlier ruling at the end of last year. Egyptian-born tram conductor Ezzaz Aziz appealed against the decision after the transport service suspended him for refusing to take off or conceal his necklace during working hours.
Mr Aziz objected to the fact that he was forbidden to wear his religious symbol, while Muslim women were allowed to wear headscarves. Mr Aziz claimed he was a victim of discrimination because headscarves are also an expression of religious belief.
"The judge didn't consider the equal treatment of two religions within one company - only whether the company rules applied. But that wasn't my intention. In the company we have two religions, and one religion is allowed to do what it likes and the other isn't allowed to do anything. That's why I appealed against the ruling."
Dress code
The court ruled that the public transport service wasn't guilty of discrimination because the rule wasn't against wearing religious symbols, but simply against visibly wearing necklaces. For security reasons the service's dress code bans employees from wearing any necklace outside the uniform.
The dress code allows the wearing of headscarves, as long as they bear the company logo. And the transport service points out that if Mr Aziz wants to express his religious belief, he's welcome to wear a ring or an earring with a crucifix.
Nevertheless, Mr Aziz says he's disappointed in Dutch justice. As a member of the Coptic Church, in Egypt he was barely able to express his religion. He expected things to be different in the Netherlands.
"The Netherlands is a democratic country. I think it's nonsense that you can express one religion but not another. I feel a fire burning inside me because I don't live in a democratic country, but in a third world country."...
Yeah ... an earring ... he looks like the type of person who would do just that. (/sarc)
Catholic Ping
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Thank goodness that would never happen here.
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The company has a rule against wearing necklaces. No matter what the symbol. I don’t consider this an anti Christian ruling, based on the info in the article.
It said he is welcome to wear a christian symbol on a ring or earring. Headscarves are allowed as long as they have the company symbol.
Worldwide political correctness continues to get worse and worse, everyday. Will it ever stop?
Looks like the Netherlands is doing a great job of assimilating into their new Muslim society.
And how is that different from around his necK?
My guess? Because it’s not as visible.
Wonder what the company logo looks like?
He’s not likely to wear an earring and wearing a ring as a symbol is not typical among Christians, particularly among ME Catholics or Orthodox (I assume he’s a Copt). In fact, I doubt that even Dutch Christians normally wear a cross earring or a ring. This type of religious jewelry is something you see pretty much only among a certain segment of American Protestants, so I’d say he’s not likely to have a cross earring or ring in his sock drawer.
In other words, this law was made to prevent the wearing of Christian symbols, and the law needs to be challenged. I doubt that Jews are forbidden from wearing a yarmulke (although with the heavy Muslim population, apparently many of them have stopped wearing them) and obviously Muslims are not stopped from making their women shroud themselves like ghouls, so there’s only one group that suffers from this.
Christians are inferior to Muslims... Dhimmitude has arrived in Europe and the Dutch are voluntarily embracing it. Sorry excuses for humanity if you ask me.
Re: “And how is that different from around his necK?”
My best guess at this time is that it’s not about the symbol on the necklace, it’s the fact that the necklace is a dangling item that might get caught in a door / machinery / a passenger’s coat (remember, we are talking about a potentially crowded tram) / whatever. The other options — ring, earring, and even headscarf — don’t dangle, and perhaps are less likely to get caught on something.
Yeah, I’m not completely satisfied with that explanation either. But it does make at least a little bit of sense.
Many professions do not allow necklaces. I was in nursing a while, we were never allowed to wear necklaces or long earrings for safety. My husband was a printer for a while, he never wore a ring.
Yeah ... an earring ... he looks like the type of person who would do just that. (/sarc)
That's probably why they pointed out earring or ring to him. So maybe he ought to just surprise them with one of each at his next shift!
Yeah ... an earring ... he looks like the type of person who would do just that. (/sarc)
You are probably right. But, in lieu of piercings, maybe he could look very carefully at the dress code and find a loophole. Perhaps there is nothing in it about a lapel pin or the like. He could get a nice gold crucifix pin and wear it on his jacket, tie or collar. I can't imagine any "security" risk in that and it would be as prominent as a pendant.
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